“It’s one of those moments where you just always feel vindication for everything you’ve ever done,’’ he said. “All the people that said no you can’t or put something negative in your life and you turned around and made it positive. It’s always something that’s been reiterated to me that I have always been on the right path.

“And I always thought with the right mind at heart, I have been a good guy my whole life. I have been who I am and people always said nice guys finish last, so I always feel like I am an example of that, somebody who has worked hard. I had to fight for what I got. This is something you take into the next phase of your life.’’